Dentifrice.



CHARLES W. WESTENFELTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

DENTIFRICE.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1913. Serial No. 752,854.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914..

T all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. Wrsren- FELTER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Sprin field, in the county of Clark and tate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dentifrices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-relates to new and useful improvements in dentifrices, and has for its principal object to provide sucha dentifrices with an ingredient that will readily indicate to the user the condition of his or her mouth; that is, whether the mouth is in an acid or alkaline condition.

Another object of the invention is to include in the dentifrice a combined coloring and indicating agent which is of such a character that any acid within the'mouth of the user will neutralize the colorin properties of the agent and thereby rea ily indicate the condition of the mouth.

In forming this mixture I employ any suitable body, either liquid or powder, and add thereto a combined coloring and indicating agent. In the perfumed embodiment of my invention the body referably consists of the following ingre ients:-

Tincture myrrh 12 oz. Precipitated chalk--. 2 lbs. Glycerin 24 oz. Alcohol 2% lbs. Bicarbonate of soda 1; oz. Hydroxid of soda... 4, oz.

Oil of peppermint 4 drams. Saccharin 40 grains. Water To the above mentioned ingredients I add my combined coloring and indicating agent which, in this instance, consists of 15 grains of phenolphthalein. The Word phenolphthalein is the common or trade name which has been adopted in place of either of the following chemical names, dioxytriphenylphthalid or dihydro'xyphthalophenone. This agent is well known, and consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the following proportions, C I-I O In preparing a quantity of this mixture all of the ingredients, except the water, are mixed together in the proportions named, and then enough water is added to this mixture'to make one allon of the dentifrice. By combining p enolphthalein with the other ingredients, the mixture is given a red color and, while I prefer to use this indicating agent, any other agent may be employed whlch will be neutralized by contact with an acid, and any other body such as powder may be employed if desired, or any other suitable indicating agent may be em loyed.

The natural condition of the uman mouth is alkaline, but very few persons have a natural mouth, as most of them are in an acid condition a greater part, if not all, of the time. When this dentifrice is introduced into the mouth the organic acids which are present in the mouth, will decolorize the phenolphthalein and at the same time the alkalis which are present in the dentifrice will tend to neutralize the acids and to restore the mouth to its natural condition, that is, an alkaline condition. As this restoration is accomplished the decoloration will diminish and when the mouth is wholl restored to an alkaline condition the denti rice will retain its original color, which is pink, but so long as there is any considerable amount of acid present in the mouth the dentifrice when discharged from the mouth will be colorless. Of course, if the mouth is in an alkaline condition when the dentifrice is first introduced there will be -no decoloration but the dentifrice will retain its color. As above stated the extent of decolorization of the dentifrice depends upon the amount of acid in the mouth. If the acid is present in any considerable quantities thesolution will be entirely decolorized. If resent only in small quantities the change of color of the solution will be less marked but will indicate, by this graduating of the coloring, the amount of acid present and the correction of the same. Obviously, by varying the amount of alkali contained 1n the solution the sensitiveness of the same to the acid can be varied and if desired the amount of alkali can be reduced to such an extent that only a slight acidity will completely decolorizc the solution but this is undesirable and I prefer to have such a quantity of alkali in the solution that it will require considerable acidity to completely decolorize the same. It will furthermore be observed that I have formed a dentifrice in which none of the ingredients are injurious to the teeth. On the contrary, the ingredients employed assist in preserving the teeth. The tincture of myrrh hardens the ms, the chalk cleans and polishes the teeth, the glycerin is used as a sweetening agent and septic and also as a hardener for the gums,

bicarbonate of soda is a solvent and antiacid, the hydroxid is an antiacld and an I alkali, the oil of peppermint is used forflavoring the dentifrice, and the saccharin is used for sweetening the same.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of a body, and an agent for indicating an acid or alkaline condition of the mout 2. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of a body, and an agent for coloring the dentifrice and indicatm an acid or alkaline condition of the mout 3. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of a body, and a coloring agent adapted to have its coloring properties neutralized by acid in the mouth.

4. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of abody, and an agent consisting of phenolphthalein for indicating an acid or alkaline condition of the mouth.

5. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of tincture of m rrh, precipitated chalk, glycerin, alcohol, icarbonate of soda, hydroxid of soda, oil of peppermint, saccharin, water and an agent for mdicating an acid or alkaline condition of the mouth.

6. In a dentifrice, a mixture consistin of tincture of m rrh, precipitated chalk, g ycerin, alcohol, ica'rbonate of soda, hydroxid of soda, oil of peppermint, saccharin, water, and an agent consisting of phenolphthalein for indicating an acid or alkaline condition of the mouth.

' 7. In a dentifrice, a mixture consisting of '12 oz. tincture of myrrh, 2 lbs. precipitated chalk, 24 oz. glycerin, 2*} lbs. alcohol, 4 oz. bicarbonate o soda, {9 oz. hydroxid of soda, 4: drams oil of peppermint, 40 grains sacoharin, water, and an agent consisting of phenolphthalein for indicatin an acid or alkaline condition of the mout 1.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. WE STENFEL'IER.

Witnesses:

F. W. Sonanrnn, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER. 

